McDonald’s plans to offer customers a salad, fruit or vegetables as a substitute for fries in its value meals.
The company’s CEO Don Thompson made the announcement at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York City where he appeared on stage with former US President Bill Clinton.
McDonald’s will roll out the change early next year in the US, where people will be able to pick a salad instead of fries at no extra cost with their Big Mac meal, among others.
Thompson said: 'What we don't want to do is just put something on the menu and say, 'hey, we did it.' We really want consumption.”
McDonald’s said it already lets customers make such swaps in some countries, such as France, but the change will be launched in almost half of its operation areas - including the UK - within the next three years, and in all the regions by 2020.
The fast-food giant also announced that it would use colorful packaging to make healthier options more appealing for kids, and will only promote milk, juice and water on menu boards and in its adverts.
All advertising to kids will include a “fun nutrition or children's wellbeing” message, the company said.
The changes follow the unveiling of plans by the company’s rival, Burger King, to launch a new lower-fat French fries option, and the recent announcement of McDonald's first monthly sales decline in nearly a decade.
